Art of Raising a Litter: Best of ATB

Puppy Cave = Transformed Grooming Studio! (Treasure above) 

FROM THE ARCHIVES:
The Art of Raising a Litter is gleaned from our original written puppy reservation policies and information over the years. 

We enjoy a purpose driven breeding program that includes careful selection and planning well in advance for each successive breeding.  An ongoing evaluation of our fun loving Brittany crew begins at birth.  It continues through the years through important feedback from those who will love and own them. The years pass quickly by but every day is still an ongoing experience of the love of the dog, both given and received. The ones we held in our hands wet from birth are the same ones we kneel next to as they take their final breaths.  This, this for us is a lifestyle choice and for all the right reasons. 

Because we're a multi-dog family we make sure that an expectant mother has her own warm, cozy, private space away from other dogs to comfortably settle into prior to whelping.  She spends more and more time there as the due date approaches.  It's set up to have many creature comforts for canine and humans alike. Some people have a man-cave. Well, we have a puppy-cave!

When expecting, the mother receives the best possible pre-natal care and given the most respect throughout her pregnancy, whelping, nursing and rearing of her puppies. Although monitored closely, she is afforded privacy during labor and delivery with minimal assistance. Whelping occurs in a separate and quiet atmosphere of low lighting, soft music, and warm, comfortable and clean surroundings. The safety, mental health, and overall well being of the nursing mother and her pups will always preclude any thought of ever permitting another family dog into her whelping box and surrounding area during this time.

During labor, we remain close by, taking cues from the mother should our assistance be needed during delivery and to reassure her with our presence. Most of the time our presence is welcome but we respect cues that indicate otherwise!

Shortly after birth each pup is carefully examined, photographed and weighed. Important information is quickly recorded and pup returned to it’s mother. This actually is their first “stimulation exercise!” We enjoy close observation of neo-natal pups and the interactions with their mother and siblings, sometimes simply sitting close by for hours. Neo natal pups are kept under an infra-red heat lamp, the temperature of the whelping box closely monitored. The whelping box is arranged so that one area is cooler for mom. A security surveillance camera, 2 way monitor, and a remote digital temperature sensor assure us peace of mind concerning their well-being 24 hours a day. It also makes it easy for us to communicate with each other of course.  (Pups will eventually  outgrow their initial need for such an intimate, private, and nurturing environment.) To avoid endangering any aspect of this stage of development we safeguard their nest and den on their behalf.  Lessons and rules learned from mother and siblings are crucial especially during the first 3 to 4 weeks for many reasons. (In recent years we have set up a private live video stream for the new families to enjoy the pups development.)

Early interactions prepare the way for healthy and stable relationships with other dogs and the most important relationship of all, the one they will have with humans. The first 72 hours is critical as pups are weighed at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours to be sure they are gaining weight. During the first 36 hours pups and mother are brought to the veterinarian for dew claw removal and tail docking. This will also be their first health exam. (Tails of our neo-natal pups have been submitted in past years to UC Davis as part of their ongoing Brittany genetic DNA research.  DNA was also collected from our adults for this purpose.)

We weigh pups every 24 hours and look for their birth weight to double around 10 days. Pups are handled daily.  Certain behavior is anticipated at various stages and it’s fun to watch for and identify each one. For years we've maintained an informative journal. This helps to compare similarities and differences in pups from previous litters including weight, size, and dates of significant phases of development. (These phases are noted in "The Art of Raising a Puppy by Monks of New Skete" which has always been J&A's required reading!) The journal is invaluable too when it comes to researching prior heat cycles, ovulation dates, and determining best time to breed and when to anticipate pups. Once a week, a photograph is taken of each puppy to have a visual record as well.  The pup who looks one way this week will look very different in the future.  This is one of the reasons why we wait until at least 7 weeks to determine puppy selection.

Although the evaluation process is ongoing from birth we have identified key periods for individual testing and evaluations and have developed a series of tests and exercises for pups. The exercises help us evaluate the pups while providing them with new learning opportunities as they experience new sights, tastes, sounds, surfaces, scents, etc. The more things a puppy is exposed to during these first weeks the easier it is for them to learn and accept new experiences later in life. See our list of blog pages for particulars. 

The animal - human bond is established gently with lots of love as we progress slowly and deliberately with them. Keeping our purpose based breeding program in mind we begin by reinforcing the canine rules taught by the mother Brittany, introduce human manners, and continually provide stimulus to enrich the environment of our Brittany puppies. Each puppy is a unique individual. Our methods of evaluating puppy development has been refined over time and is based on highly respected research by Pffafenberger, Scott & Fuller, Volhart, Hastings, etc.  

I would like to reiterate that although the 'alpha roll' has been an accepted concept it is too often repeated and used for the wrong reasons.  We've had puppy people come to visit and ask if they could do that to one of our young puppies. The answer is absolutely not. The alpha roll is an outdated and controversial dog training technique. We will incorporate it once, at 7 weeks as part of the Volhart temperament tests and only for 20 seconds, long enough to observe the pup's response.  There is a time and a place to do it, and a time to leave the exercise behind in a trail of dust. An alpha roll makes sense when dogs do it, humans should not consider it.

From about 4.5 weeks on life for the young Brittany pup changes rapidly.  Supervised and gradual introduction to the rest of the ATB family begins. Visits from prospective new families, evaluations by people unknown to the pups, vet visits, romps here there and everywhere, increased time with children, introductions to the crate, collar, and leash and so much more. It is a busy time where every moment of the day is devoted to puppy care in one way or another.  And it is perhaps the most enjoyable part of raising a litter of pups despite the hard work involved. Truly qualifying as "a labor of love"  

Weaning in itself is an important part of their development.  About 3 weeks old we introduce pups to warm puppy mash. It is quite a comical experience.  Each pup reacts different and in the end it is one big mess. It is a great photo opportunity!  Pups are separated from their mother for a few hours so as not to nurse and then have quite the appetite to try something new.  When they are finished mom comes back in to clean up the dish and her babies.  Once weaning is well underway pups are separated  from their mother for several days and fed warm puppy mash 5 times daily. This helps with mom's milk drying up. When weaning is complete they are reunited with her for extended periods right up until the time they go home.  No one can teach respect to a young puppy like a mother dog. The dam is always able to escape her pups however she often chooses to be with them especially at night. Pups are usually eating dry puppy food 3 times a day when they go home. 

We are devoted to our Brittanys and consider it of utmost importance to be aware of specific things about each pup as well as be personally familiar with the great dogs behind them in their pedigrees.  We make an effort to maximize the learning potential of each sweet little Brittany puppy by making learning fun for them while stimulating its learning ability, interests and natural instincts. We begin this at birth through the SMART PUPPY program.

It is a labor of love to get a pup ready to spend the rest of their life as an alert friendly, fearless, inquisitive, happy, and smart Brittany. It is perhaps the most important thing as breeders that John and I do. Our preparation includes establishing a firm, solid, foundation of trust and respect. The groundwork we lay involves the potential new owner as we guide and direct them in their own preparations to eventually bring pup home. We have always referred to puppy take home day as "the first day of the rest of their life". As we entrust the care of a Brittany puppy by placing them into the loving arms of fully prepared new owners we are assured and confident they will be responsible to continue what began here, long before pup was even born. 

Breeding Better Gundogs

We have now bred four generations of OUR line of close working Brittany gundogs who are actively hunting with their families.  The quality attributes and strengths which we have identified to be consistent in our Brittanys include:

• high intelligence level
• natural bird hunting abilities
• natural retrieving skills
• soft mouth
• versatility
• ease of training, cooperative
• biddable with a well balanced, fun-loving disposition with children and adults
• dual quality 

Of course, the ’genetic recipe’ of all Brittanys should always include the ability to work and perform as an intelligent hunting dog.  When possible, we maintain the best evidence of this is seen by going out into the field to work with an adult relative of a Brittany pup under consideration.  Great hunting dogs produce great hunting dogs. We enjoy supporting our claim about the natural hunting instincts prevalent in our Brittanys by actual field work (weather permitting) on an actual game bird. Despite what the dog has inherited, and regardless of how well prepared it is when it leaves us - training must be ongoing.  Just obtaining a Brittany from a good line is not enough. The new owner must provide proper nutrition, nurturing and training regardless of pups intended purpose. If the dog is to be hunted, early, consistent and frequent exposure to birds is a must. (All J & A’s Brittanys pups are introduced to birds before leaving.)

We believe there are critical factors in a hunting dogs performance to consider. and that the younger a Brittany is introduced to birds (correctly) the better.  The purpose of a Brittany is first and foremost a sporting dog bred to hunt. While the AKC breed standard should be adhered to in regards to conformation the existing hunting standard is equally as important and should not be overlooked. We desire to see Brittanys from our program participate at the youngest age possible in the AKC and/or NAVHDA hunting tests.  The most successful examples of a dogs ability to fulfill the purpose for which it was bred will also be the dogs that are best adapted physically to perform that purpose. Here is where adhering to the breed standard is the most important. Form (conformation) follows function with the function being the purpose for which the dog was bred. 

We know just how to guide a new Brittany owner to help their pup reach its full potential. We stand behind every Brittany puppy we are responsible for bringing into this world and will remain available for the lifetime of the dog. 

J&A's pups have never been defined with a single function in mind. They are dual purpose dogs. Our client’s homes are not defined as a show quality, pet quality, or a hunting quality home. My belief is that each home where a J&A's Brittany spend's it's life is a FULL QUALITY home. We encourage involvement in showing, hunt tests, field trials, fly ball, agility, obedience etc. Although our primary focus is on close working gun dogs,  many of them are show quality pups and do very well in the ring!  However, the majority of our Brittanys with great show potential never compete in the ring for the coveted champion title but remain as champions in the hearts of those who love and own them. I (Ann) so still carry a dream and a hope to see a Dual Champion though in my lifetime from our breeding program.  (Check out the column on the right side of this page where we proudly highlight our champions). 

The importance of any breeder 'proving' their program in the conformation ring cannot be overstated.  I was dragged kicking and streaming but came to understand that I needed to know how our Brittanys stood in regards to the AKC Breed Standard. Surprisingly, our dogs that have been shown have done very well. Even in the hands of amateur owner handlers! Titles on BOTH ends of a dog are just as important as their papers. As breeders we are the gatekeepers of the breed we know and love and need to do our part. I'm always ecstatic when someone wants to show their puppy, as long as they have let us know of the interest well in advance and will follow through with their intent. 


In closing, I apologize that some of this is redundant to those who are already on our waiting list. You have read most of this in our puppy reservation policies! 

As always thanks for your interest and following along!  Take care and God bless you and yours always. John, Ann, & All Things Brittany

CH J&A's Heartfelt Legend of Acton "PIPPIN"